2015 Australian Timber Design Award

The 2015 Australian Timber Design Award went to John Wardle Architects and NADAAA for the Melbourne School of Design, an inspiring example of complex green design.

The three-storey Melbourne School of Design is a showcase of the very best that can be achieved with structural timber. LVL engineered box beams and coffers span its 20 metre wide atrium, acting both as sunshades and structural restraints. Judges were effusive in their praise for the manner in which the timber framed and lined building envelope is suspended from two of the overhead LVL beams.

Timber features heavily also in the decorative elements of the design. The selection and working of the timbers shows exceptional understanding of the material and lends warmth to the complex structural design.

The Melbourne School of Design is listed as a Six Green Star Design and is the first education facility to be awarded the maximum ten Green Star innovation credits. Timber was critical to this, having been used to significantly reduce the overall carbon footprint of the building.

In addition, the building took just over a year to build which was four months ahead of schedule!